Saint John Tuesday

I had a quick trip to Saint John Tuesday morning and here is what I saw on the way.

As I approached Chesley Drive in Saint John, I saw three NBSR units running light toward Island Yard. On the scanner they said they were going to pick up 40 cars to bring back to Dever Road. At 09:40 NBSR 2317, 9803 and 2610 entered Island Yard. I wasn't able to get ahead of them, so no pictures.

As I passed Island Yard I saw CN 5757, 2454 and I think 5678 by the shop building, ready to go out as CN 405 later.

A portion of a local train was on the track by Staples paralleling Russell Street, with ten cars and caboose NBSR 79635 ready to lead the way. No engine in sight!


On my way out around noon, I saw SW1200RS NBSR 3703 and GP9 3701 shunting the west end of the Dever Road yard.


I took a little video with my Canon S3 and here it is.

CFMG 402

P-Y posted this video of CFMG 402 in the rain as it headed to Mont-Joli, Quebec.

Video of NBEC train 587 online

Here is a video of train 587 for your viewing pleasure. It features NBEC 1821 and 1868 from Friday. I blogged about this yesterday morning.

CP 4563 idling

Here's a quick little video of CP 4563 idling in McAdam, for you Alco-philes.

NB Southern and CP 4563

Despite the warnings of rainy weather, I decided to head to McAdam to see 4563. How often does an MLW visit the southern lines? With my two youngest kids in the van, we set off. My game plan was to meet the eastbound excursion train at Prince William Station, get a few quick shots of the runaround at Harvey, then get the westbound at Harvey Lake before proceeding to McAdam.

We arrived at Prince William Station at 10:00. I fully expected to see the excursion train by 10:20, but that time came and went without any train. It was a bit of a challenge to entertain two kids by the side of a track, but we found some anthills and flowers and did some jumping to pass the time. Finally I had to break the snacks out.

Around 10:50 I heard some rumbling in the distance, and at 10:56 we saw a distant headlight. Prince William Station is a very long piece of straight track, and it wasn't until 10:59 that the train passed us. It had NBSR 2610 and 2317 pulling the three passenger cars (5537, 5448 and 5471, all ex-VIA, ex-CN) and caboose NBSR 422990.


We packed up and went to Harvey. The two engines uncoupled and ran down the main line out of sight, then came back up the siding.


They were ready to roll by 11:37.


We left and went to Harvey Lake. As I was walking toward the point with a tripod in one hand and my toddler in the other, I heard the rumble of the engines. Darn it! I gently set my loads down and brought my camera out to take this one picture.

I'm glad it turned out OK.

We arrived at McAdam and saw quite a few cars parked by the McAdam station. The CP 29 model was parked in front of the station and NB Southern had parked a number of their MOW machines by the shop building. CP 4563 was still in the main yard, so I drove down there with my sleeping kids. I took a few shots and ended up in the cab talking with the gentleman who came down from the Canadian Railway Museum to look after the engine. Quite a nice fellow.




The excursion train arrived at McAdam at 12:25 and unloaded. I talked with a few people I knew (hi Art, Wendell, Danny, Gary) and met a few people I had only known online or by reputation (hi Mike, Ron).

I took the kids for lunch at the Family Restaurant, and when we returned for a quick look, 4563 had been moved over beside the station.

CP 4563 by the McAdam, NB train station

The excursion train was turned on the wye, and at 14:16 they left McAdam. The conductor on the tail end, Gary, told me they had 175 passengers for the Harvey trip.

At 14:20 the NBSR eastbound freight arrived at McAdam, with NBSR 2318, 2612 and 9802. I'm not sure, but I don't believe they made any setoffs or pickups.

Here's a shot of CP 29 by the station. The gentleman in the photo is the fellow from Delson.


We went and had some ice cream, and when we were done, the eastbound freight was ready to go. They had pulled up to near the highway crossing and were waiting to find out where the passenger train was before they could leave. They pulled out at 15:00 with 9 boxcars, 9 autoracks, 3 tank cars, 5 loaded wood chip cars, and 3 empty NBSR log cars (29 cars).

They made good time to Harvey, and passed through there at 15:34.

We headed home at the end of a long but good day. Kudos to NB Southern for being such a good host railway, and to the McAdam crew for hosting the event at their beautiful station.

All NBEC All The Time

I got up a bit early Friday morning so I could visit the Bathurst yard and see what the yard power was. I snapped the scanner on at 0700 and was surprised to hear that a train was shunting. It had to be 587, the train to the smelter at Belledune. Sure enough, NBEC 1821 and 1868 were doing the final few moves before heading out.

The train had two open hoppers filled with some kind of blue gravel, one tank car, and 15 blue NBEC ore cars.

They left at 07:10 and I was able to get ahead of them to catch them at Beresford at 07:20, although I only had time to videotape them hand-held.

Then I caught them at Madran coming around the bend at 07:40.


I gave up the chase after that. Later, I was out route 430 when I heard train 597 (the Bathurst shunter) working at UPM Bathurst on the Nepisiguit sub at 10:00.

As I left the Bathurst area at 11:55, I heard NBEC 6903 East getting clearance to leave Bathurst. As I approached Miramichi, I planned to get some lunch at DQ, grab a few shots of the yard power and then hit the road for Fredericton, as I was short on time.

With lunch in hand, I was heading back to the yard when I heard 6903 East call the Miramichi yard limits. That was a fast trip! I managed to get to the VIA station, get my video camera out of the car, and shoot them as they passed the station. CFMG 6903... CFMG 6902... 86' boxcar... WTF? That was it - NBEC 402 had one car in their train.

Oh, NBEC 6900 was in the yard and 1814 and 1818 were the new yard power. I took this well-lit shot that Railpictures liked.

Walkaround of CP 4563

Gary from McAdam has uploaded a walk-around tour of CP 4563, starting from looking into the cab.

Northern New Brunswick

Today I went to the Bathurst area, and fortunately saw a few trains along the way.

CFQC 3000 and NBEC 1819 in Miramichi

In Miramichi CFQC 3000 and NBEC 1819 provided the yard power, while NBEC 6900 sat at the back of the yard.

I had just exited highway 8 onto route 360 when I heard VIA 14 tell the RTC that they just arrived at Bathurst. I stopped here where the railway crosses 360 and waited a few minutes until VIA 14 showed up. It passed at 09:14 with VIA 6400 and 6417 leading a Renaissance train, with Revelstoke Park bringing up the rear.

VIA 14 at the route 360 crossing, September 2007

By the way, what's up with the weird lettering on Revelstoke Park? Did VIA run out of lower-case stencils?

ReveLstoKe Park at route 360

Later, I heard NBEC 403 arriving at Bathurst at 17:00. They did some shunting, then left quite quickly at 17:35 or so. I handily beat them to Beresford and taped them there at 17:43. They had NBEC 6901, CFMG 6907, CFQC 3000 and NBEC 1819 as power. I guess 402 must have brought a new pair of RS-18s down to Miramichi.

NBEC 6901 leading train 403 through Beresford, NB, September 2007

The train had the usual mix of boxcars, tank cars, wood chip loads, loaded lumber cars, covered hoppers, CN covered gondolas, and the inevitable 17-car ram of Ultramar tank cars for a total of 63 cars (33 loads, 30 empties).

CN tank train in Beresford, NB

Back at Bathurst, NBEC 586 was ready to go to Brunswick Mines by 18:40 with MLW RS-18s 1868 and 1821 on the point. Since I was going that way anyway, why not do a little chase?

They crossed route 430 the first time at 19:00. You can see the shadows were getting really long. I really like this shot - I just wish it was brighter tonight.

NBEC 1868 on the Nepisiguit Subdivision

I got them next at 19:05 at Sewell Road, although I think the video turned out much better than the stills did.

NBEC 1868 and 1821

A quick run down the road got me to the next highway crossing just before the train did, so I just took stills at 19:10.

NBEC 1868

My last catch was a few km up the road, at a private crossing just before the track and the road part ways. At 19:18 the sun was pretty much below the horizon.

NBEC 1868

Train 586 had 15 blue NBEC ore cars, 26 covered CN gondolas, and 5 AOK covered hoppers.

Here's a short video of the train.

In case you feel nostalgic, you can read about my last visit to the Nepisiguit on July 17, 2006.

Just One More Thing

A few Alco/MLW books:

• Alco Official Color Photography
• The Diesel Builders Vol 2 - Alco and MLW
• Alco Locomotives

CP 4563 McAdam photos

Brian Barchard got my "heads up" and caught 4563 coming into McAdam today behind NBSR 9801, 2612 and 2317.







Thanks for sharing those, Brian!

CP 4563 shunting McAdam

My man Gary shot some video of 4563 shunting McAdam today! OK, so it wasn't running, but it was right behind the engines doing the work.




Great catch, Gary!

CP 4563 coming to New Brunswick today

CP 4563, the MLW unit coming to McAdam for this coming Saturday's event, is on the NB Southern eastbound freight. It is currently in Mattawamkeag and should be in McAdam by 15:00. I'm told it will probably be stored on the stub track by the dam until Saturday.

VIA 15 at Gort

Kevin G posted a nice video of VIA's Ocean at Gort (outside Gordon Yard) with VIA 6400 on the head end. This is VIA 15 as it leaves the Moncton area.

CP 4563 on the move

Frank Jolin shot CP 4563 in an MM&A train going east into Maine today.

Through Foster, Quebec
East of Foster
On the Eastman trestle



Thanks, Frank!

VIA 6405

VIA 6405 and the Chaleur were involved in a collision on the Gaspe line east of Chandler on September 3. It struck a dump truck on a private crossing. The truck caught fire from the impact and friction and the truck and the front of 6405 burned. Fortunately noone was injured but 6405 has some major damage to the front end.

6405 was brought to New Richmond by NBEC 1868 on Thursday September 6 and then to Campbellton on September 7. It left Campbellton this morning (Sept. 11) on CFMG 403 en route to Montreal.

Here's 6405 in happier times, leading VIA 14 at Belmont, NS in April 2004.

Upsalquich Photos

Reader Chris Metallic was up near the Upsalquich River and took some photos of the old INR (International Railway) railway line, as well as the old CN 78496.

Here's the iron bridge over the Upsalquich River.


This photo shows the foundations of the old station.


The caboose is on the property of a former CN superintendent.



The owner said the caboose was built in 1930, presumably by CN.

Thanks for the photos, Chris!

CPR Gathering at McAdam September 15

There will be a railway event at McAdam on Saturday, September 15. I understand there are events planned for the afternoon, with registration starting at noon. The highlight for railfans will be former CPR M-630 #4563 on display. This is a public event.

NB Southern will run their passenger excursion train from McAdam to Harvey from around 10:00 to noon, for employees and their families only.

I understand there is going to be a notice in the Daily Gleaner, so keep your eyes open for that.

I have a family event in the late afternoon but I expect I will be in McAdam for the morning and early afternoon. Can't miss the rare CP unit!

EDIT: Thanks to Danny McCracken for the details.

EDIT: CP 4563 is now at Farnham, Quebec as of Sunday September 9. Photo by Frank Jolin

Here's a photo I took of CP 4563 at the Canadian Railway Museum (Exporail) on July 6, 2005.

An odd visitor to Halifax

Local railfans noted the arrival of IRSI's RDC 6202 to Halifax Friday in the middle of CN train 148. It was in Halifax for CN's Safety Days on Saturday. It took CN and VIA employees and family on a number of round trips between the Halifax Intermodal Terminal and Rockingham (not a great distance).

My love-hate relationship with Railpictures

Long-time readers know that I have a love-hate relationship with RailPictures. I love it when I get my photos into their database, and I hate it when I get rejected.

Well, now I'm a "real" photographer. I am now in their list of photographers, since I have 25 or more photos in their database.


May I say... "woo hoo!"

A few NBSR YouTube videos

From Dwayne784, three units running light:


Another one from Dwayne, with NBSR 2317, 2612, 9801 and the eastbound freight leaving McAdam:


Finally, rare footage of NBSR 3701 leading...

Video of NBEC 403

YouTuber clam502 taped the same train I saw Tuesday, except he got 403 going north/west to Campbellton.

His first video is in Charlo.


Here it is at Dalhousie Junction.

NBEC and VIA sightings, September 4

Here are a few NBEC and VIA sightings from yesterday (September 4)...

VIA 14 arrived in Miramichi a few minutes early, with VIA 6428 and Operation Lifesaver unit 6411 leading a Renaissance train. I didn't catch the name on the Park car - too busy dreaming as it rolled by, I guess.


At the other end of the (mostly empty) yard, CFQC 3000 and NBEC 1840 sat idle by the crew shack, and CFMG 6907 lurked in the background.


I headed north after the Ocean left. I heard a squawk on the RTC channel around Pointe Verte, and I figured it was the daily freight #402. I arrived at the east end of the Belledune siding just before noon, and saw nothing. I figured I would go to the west end of the siding, and if there was nothing, that was it. Imagine my surprise when I saw a couple of SD40s just west of the siding. Train 402 had just finished pulling four loaded centerbeam flats from Chaleur Lumber and was ready to continue east/south to Bathurst. After I pulled the lucky horseshoe out of my butt, I set up the tripod and taped them leaving while I took a few snaps. My old nemesis Railpictures liked this shot.

Train 402 had CFMG 6906, CFMG 6903 with 86 cars.

Later in Bathurst, I found NBEC 1821 and 1845 (train 586) working the yard while 1851 was at rest by the station. I figured the return freight NBEC 403 and I would pass each other between Bathurst and Miramichi, and I was right. When I arrived at Miramichi around 16:40, CFMG 6907 had just finished assembling its train #402 to take down to Moncton.


CFQC 3000 and NBEC 1840 were buried back in the yard, idle.

That was a good day to see trains.

NBEC news

Following on the heels of the UPM-Kymmene mill shutdown, I have two pieces of NBEC news.

1. Six people from their Transportation division have been laid off, as told to me by one of NBEC 402's crew today.

2. The Quebec Railway Corporation, owners of NBEC, CFMG, ERS etc. are selling one or more SD40 units. I saw an ad in Railway Age:

I believe that's CFMG 6909 in the image. That's all I know so far.

Exceptional NBSR video

Dave Dineen has posted a really good NB Southern Railway video to YouTube. He chased the September 3 (Monday) eastbound freight from McAdam to Saint John, and took advantage of pretty much every photo opportunity along the way. It's 8 minutes 45 seconds long but worth watching all the way through.

The train had NBSR 2317, 2612, and 9801 with 85 cars.

Saturday's NB Southern Eastbound Freight

For September 1 I decided to take my usual path up to McAdam to see the eastbound freight. The weather was OK but pretty cloudy. We arrived in McAdam at 13:00 to find the eastbound already there, and ready to head to Saint John. I guess it was running pretty early!



I left fairly quickly, to ensure I got a video of them leaving McAdam. First, one more shot from the other side.


They crossed the highway at 13:10 with NBSR 2317, 2612, 9801, and 2319 with 18 cars.


Here's the video of the freight leaving McAdam.



They made excellent time to Harvey Lake. I arrived there and was busy setting up my tripod when I heard the rumble in the distance. I barely had time to put the video camera on the tripod and turn it on before they arrived at 13:52.


It was a short trip!

Thursday in Saint John

I was in Saint John on Thursday afternoon (August 30). CN 305 had already left, so all I saw were the three leased CN GP9s. CN 7010 was doing some shunting, and I caught CN 7000 and 7060 bringing a local out to the refinery at 15:16. Video is here.



Not much else to report, really. NBSR 2610 was doing some shunting in the Dever Road yard, according to the scanner, and the NBSR eastbound freight had already arrived but I didn't see the power. I'm guessing they took freight to the Port right after they arrived.

New CN video online

I've put a video of CN 305 at St. Basil online. This shows CN 305 with three units (including an Illinois Central unit) approaching Edmundston on August 12, 2007.

Canadian Railway Observations

William H. Baird is moving his "Canadian Railway Observations" newsletter from email to his new web site, called, guess... Canadian Railway Observations. Check it out!

The Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad

I had a brief visit to the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad in Unity, Maine this past Sunday, August 26. I wasn't able to see anything moving, but I walked around the grounds and had a good chat with one of the volunteers there.


The station above has a ticket office to the left, and a little museum in the rest of the building. The volunteer told me that the items in the museum are on loan. It's a work in progress.


The steam engine is out of service, so they are using a 70-ton diesel to pull the train. Here's the steam engine by the turntable.


There are more photos in my tourist railroad photo gallery.

There is a great article on the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad here that goes into the BML's history in great detail.

VIA Rail YouTube videos

Finally, videos of VIA in the Maritime region.

clam502 posted a video of VIA 15 arriving at Campbellton.


This one by P-Y shows VIA 15 near Trois-Pistoles in Quebec at night... you can see VIA 6400's number boards very clearly.

CFMG Videos

I'm just about caught up in my YouTube watching... this time I'm featuring a few videos featuring the CFMG in Quebec.

First, a nice video from P-Y of CFMG 402 at Trois-Pistoles, Quebec on August 11 with 3 SD40s and 117 cars.


He was lucky enough to catch the two ex-Maine Eastern units on CFMG in two locations on August 16, Bic and Rimouski. The units were going to the Tshiuetin Railway (Sept-Îles).



Here's Patrick Sirois' video of CFMG 402 at Ile-Verte siding, Mont-Joli sub.

Some of Gary's recent videos

Here's a few videos from Gary of McAdam.

This is NB Southern 2318 East. I see there were several doublestack container flats on the tail end.


This is inside the cab of NBSR 9801, going down the first bit of the St. Stephen sub in McAdam.


NBSR 2318 and 2317 going by the McAdam station.

CN 305 today

Kevin G caught CN 305 today and put a few videos on YouTube.

Here's CN 305's power (2681 and 2639) running over to Courtenay Bay to get empty potash cars, and returning with them.


Finally, here it is near Sussex.

Union Pacific videos from California

I've put videos of the two Union Pacific freight trains I saw in California on YouTube.

Here's the small one, UP 361 at Castroville:


The other train had 26 beat-up freight cars with UP 5342, 5355 and 5447.


Those were both from my last day of California railfanning.

I see someone else shot a UP freight in Castroville, though at a level crossing:

NBSR 2319 in yellow

MEC252 (Travis Bragg) has posted a couple of videos of NBSR 2319 switching Hermon, Maine when it was lent to the MM&A during the spring of 2005.

Grab Bag

A CN export train (number 436) is on its way through New Brunswick soon. It left Joffre at 07:30 and should be in Edmundston by about 13:30, then Moncton around 19:30-20:00. All times approximate, of course!Train of thirteen export units by Brockville at 18:20.

The consist was CN 5251 with DRS units 66421 to 66427 as well as SNTF units 060DS01, 060DR09, and 060DR13-16 with a few spacer flat cars.


A "5 pack" of containers derailed at the Port of Saint John Monday and tore up some track. The track remained blocked Tuesday night, with three NB Southern locomotives trapped behind the damage. CN sent a rare train 594 down the Sussex sub Sunday morning, I'm told to get some late containers including the blocked ones. It had CN 9574 with 20 container cars and 14 tank cars.

FREDfm reports that a train hit a truck "just outside Bathurst" yesterday (Tuesday). Fortunately, the 51-year-old driver had minor injuries. "RCMP say the man failed to look both ways when he attempted to cross the tracks".